Spring structure



Emme 23, i936.,

A. PlTTONl SPRING STRUCTURE Filed June l, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1936 "1 UNITED STATES PATENT `QFFICE l 2,045,544 f 1 f Y Y SPRING STRUCTURE- H Angelo Pittoni, Lynbrook, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Burton-,Dixie Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1934, Serial No. '728,546`

e 3 Claims.

This invention relates to'V spring structures such, for example, as bed springs, inner springs for-.'mattresses, cushions or the like, and to the individual units employed `in fabricating spring structures. Y y

Anf ideal spring structure of the type set forth would be one having an infinite number of innitely small springs so as to provide a yieldingand iiexible'support at every point of the structures surface. An object of this invention is to provide a spring structure constructed and arranged to produce a larger area of yieldable supporting surface per coil spring unit than has heretofore been possible.

A further object is to provide an improved construction of coil spring unit for use in manufacturing complete spring structures.

A still further object is to provide a spring structure of the type set forth which will be substantially noiseless in use.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in this artare accomplished by the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a spring structure embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spring units employed in the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion ofinner spring construction incorporating a further feature of the present invention.

In carrying out the present invention, I employ a plurality of single spring units all of which' are identical in shape, and the weight supporting surface of the spring structure is entirely formed by directly connecting together the end coils of these individual single spring units to form a spring structure of any desired size and type.

A preferred form of individual spring unit is illustrated in Fig. 2 and comprises Va helical body portion 5 having a somewhat spiral end coil 6 of enlarged diameter connected to the body portion by helical convolutions 'l of relatively slight pitch. The arrangement is such that the end coil cooperates with the helical convolution 1 when f the unit is somewhat compressed, to provide a relatively large supporting area for the usual batt or other covering. The end coil 6 is formed withr two U-shaped offsets 8 disposed 90 apart and two hinge-forming connecting loops 9 also disposed apart and diametrically kopposite to the U- shaped offsets 8. Instead of knotting the end Vof the wire to the coil 6, it is left free and so positioned relatively to the lunit as to increase the supporting area of thestructure formed when the single units are connected together.v Preferably thewire is shaped" to form an extendedv armv l0 having an eye Il'in the end thereof.

In Fig. 2 the spring unit is shown as having the opposite ends formed alike, as is the case Ywhen the units are employed to form resilient llers suchV as inner springs for mattresses, but it'will' be apparentthat the invention Vis equally Aadapted i to any type of coil springs such, for example, as those used in bed springs or the like. However, for the purposes of description and illustration, the invention will be considered as applied to an inner spring construction.

In forming such a structure, a plurality of single spring units are arranged in rows extending longitudinally and transversely of the structure, and the Vend coils thereof are connected directly together by crimping or bending the connecting loops 9 of each unit around the loop receiving oisets 8 of the adjacent units in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. The end coil 6 of each unit is thus hinged directly to the end coil of each of the lsurrounding units and the projecting arm and eyeV l0 of the end coil projects into the space framed by surrounding units as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. In the case of an inner spring construction the end coils at each end of the units are connected in the manner described.

The result is an articulated spring structure having a surface of great flexibility and of large supporting area per unit spring. Hinging theend coils of the units directly togetherpermits pivotal movement between adjacent units about axes extending at right angles to each other, both longitudinally and transversely of the finished structure. It will, of course, be apparent that the same flexibility can be obtained by using types ofY hinged connections between the individual units other than the particular form described and illustrated.

The combination of features including the enlarged diameter of the individual end coils 6, the slight pitch of the adjacent helical convolutions 'I connecting the end coils to the body portions 5, and the projecting arms I0 and eyes H result in a. relatively large area of supporting surface per spring unit and produce a supporting surface having a relatively fine mesh without requiring a large number of spring units. As a result, the structure provides a suiiicient supporting surface even withl relatively wide center distances between the individual spring units.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a spring structure employing the individual units of the present inven- 55 tion and having silencers l2 in the form of strips of cotton ielting extending longitudinally between the rows of spring units for the purpose of preventing contact between the coils of the separate units when they are subjected to distortion as a result of supporting a weight. The silencers are positioned between and in contact with the body portions 5 of the units so as to prevent the coils thereof from crunching together and producing an undesirable noise. At the same time, the silencers have some stiifening effect upon the coils 5 n by cushioning the spring action and limiting the* compression of the associated spring'structure; The silencers are adapted for use with spring ystructures of any type or form. f

It will be apparent that the distinguishing;.fea-- tures of the present invention can be variously modied and adapted within the scope of the ap- 'pended claims. Y

wire of an adjacent coil, and the ends of the spring wires being unknotted and extended into substantially the centers of the spaces framed by said units.

2. An articulated spring structure having a flexible resilient surface formed by the end coils of a plurality of individual helical springs arranged in rows extending longitudinally and transversely of the structure, the fend coils of each spring being hinged to the end coils of adjacent springs by havingr the wire of one coil bent around the wire of another coil, the ends of the wires forming the 'end coils being unknotted and extended into substantially the centers of the spaces framed by said coils. Y

3. An varticulated spring structure formed by a plurality of identical single spring units arranged inY transversely and longitudinally extending rows, each unit comprising a helical body portion, an

endV coil of enlarged diameter connected to said 20 bodyvportionby a convolution of lesser diameter and` relatively slight pitch,-the end coils of adjacent units beingfdirectly hingedtogether by having the wire of one end coil wrapped around the wire of an adjacent end coil and the ends of, the 25 wiresI forming said end-,coils projecting intosubstantially the centers of the spaces framed by said end coils. f

. ANGELO PITTONI. 

